


Falling is Easy

by Emanemmy12



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F, Needles, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-24
Updated: 2015-01-24
Packaged: 2018-03-08 20:41:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3222761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emanemmy12/pseuds/Emanemmy12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Root purposely getting injured so she can visit the ER where one Dr. Sameen Shaw works. (I have to warn you, readers, that this work has a few possible triggers due to medical things and self injury. Do not read if you think those will trigger you. Stay safe!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Falling is Easy

The fist time that Root met Sameen Shaw was an accident. Of all the reasons that she would be in a hospital, slicing her finger open was not the one that Root would have guessed first. Gun wound, yes. Coma due to trauma, yes, but certainly not an injury from cooking. Good grief. As the mouth piece to an all seeing AI, you would think that she would have noticed and the glower that was on Root’s face deepened. The feeling that she was superior to all of these people still lingered in her mind and it was times like these when she was forced by circumstance to perform mundane activities that those thoughts came back at full force. Root was trying to see things the way the Machine did, but it was just hard to swallow after so many years of a completely different ideology. The stupidity of humanity certainly did not help, even when it was her own. These were the thoughts that Root was entertaining while waiting for a doctor.

Eventually one walked into the room and Root was about to look up and complain, but she was struck by the most fantastic image. She had known that this hospital’s ER had recently been extremely busy as there was a car crash with multiple people injured, but whenever those things happened in a hospital you never got to see them. Root had been in and out of hospitals enough to know that. The woman that walked into the room was gorgeous, but what had captivated Root was the blood spatters on the otherwise crispy white lab coat. Unconsciously, Root licked her lips and leaned forward slightly. With absolutely no introduction, the doctor, walked up and grabbed Root’s hand and gave a sigh. “You sure did a number on her hand,” stated the woman. She moved about the the room and grabbed a sewing kit. “This is going to hurt. I can’t give you local anesthesia for just a thumb.” Root sat there and gritted her teeth while the doctor put stitches into her thumb. Merely nodding while she was given instructions on how to take care of herself. Safe to say, Root was enamored. The doctor then left, muttering something about the pay being transferred to Root’s insurance. 

She made her way back home, the stitches in her skin and Root could feel that doctor with her as she finally sat down. Root leaned back and closed her eyes. “Tell me who that is,” she asked the Machine. The answer that she got was short. Sameen Shaw, Doctor. Honestly though, that was enough. Despite her better judgement, Root’s heart sang. She could see it in her mind’s eye. Sameen, bursting through the door, looking at her like there was nothing worse to see and instantly fixing her. With the tightly tied up brown locks and the forced back look of distain, Root knew that she had found someone who was like her in a way. Though she couldn’t see why someone like that was working in a hospital in one place. She resolved then and there to learn more about this woman. Perhaps there was an explanation. Sameen had been so blunt, so charged with the energy of the dead, and so alive that Root couldn’t help but feel drawn to her. She didn’t go back to get the stitches out though.

The second time that they met, it was on purpose. Root had gotten shot trying to save a number’s life and the closest hospital was Sameen’s. Instead of taking care of it herself, Root snuck in and limped her way to the office that the Machine directed her to. “Hello Sameen,” she crooned to the woman crouched over the desk, doing her notes. 

Sameen jumped and stood. “What are you -” and then she noticed the blood dripping from Root’s leg. 

”I might need some of your help,” Root stated with a small sigh as if bleeding from a bullet wound was something that could be taken care of on her own. She’d lost and was losing a lot of blood. Root would have thought it was impossible to be paler than she was, but somehow she was managing now. Her vision was dancing with black dots, but still she stood in the hopes that this woman would help her. It was doubtful, the coding of humanity was too broken despite what her God might preach. 

Shaw moved around from the back of her desk. “How do you know who I am?” She looked angry and it excited Root more then it should have. 

She laughed and tilted her head. “If you didn’t want to people to know you shouldn’t put it on the plaque on the wall next to your door,” she explained. It was easier than explaining the Machine. Sameen growled and Root smiled. “Besides, after our last meeting, I couldn’t get you out of my mind.” 

”I don’t supposed you’ve come here to get the stitches out of your thumb?” Shaw’s body language relaxed and it gave Root hope. 

”You remember me?” she replied with a hopeful smile. Then the blackness claimed her eyes and Root collapsed. Sameen on instinct surged forward, catching her. 

When Root woke up again, she could hear that there was the soft sound of someone breathing near her. It was light. They must be sleeping. That meant that she wasn’t dead and Sameen had helped her. She smiled and turned her head. There, in a chair, slept Dr. Shaw. Root carefully sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She knew she had to leave, but something made her pause. Sameen hadn’t had to help her. Root didn’t understand and for that she stopped to gaze at the sleeping woman’s face. Her hair was falling out of that tightly made ponytail and Root could see the exhaustion under Dr. Shaw’s eyes. “Why do you push yourself for these people? They are not grateful.” Not like she was. With a tentative hand, Root reached out and moved a clump of hair that was tickling Sameen’s nose. Shaw just grunted and turned in her sleep. Root couldn’t help but smile. She finally pushed herself off the bed and walked, all be it a little bit unsteadily, out the door. Root was pushing herself for having just lost a lot of blood, but the mission didn’t wait for such trivial things like that. 

The third time there had been many months since Root had seen Sameen. Her heart ached and it was so strange for her to feel like that. She hadn’t felt this empty since losing Hanna. But it was not the same. It wasn’t an ultimate loss. She knew that Sameen was still there, still working at that damn hospital. Sometimes, when she had time, Root would go and stare at the building. It was a placed that housed a woman who cared even though to Root’s thinking there should be no reason for her to. Then she had an idea. It was a silly and stupid idea. But she just had to see her again. On a (finally) quiet afternoon, Root tried to figure out a reason to see Shaw. Her eyes passed over the kitchen knives (too obvious) and Root frowned. Then she walked to the window in her apartment and got a brilliant idea. She was on a high enough floor. With a small butterfly of nervousness, Root left her apartment, making sure to take her keys and her purse and she made her way to the stairs. The building that she lived in was old and hadn’t had the planning for what happened when someone fell calculated into the stairwell. She gritted her teeth and reminded herself why she was doing this. The Machine couldn’t see her here. Root moved to the railing and let out a shaky breath. She could see the bottom and she knew, she knew that she wouldn’t die. After another second, she threw herself over the edge. She fell and a small bit of her mind was reminded of that damn trust fall exercise. This was just a dramatic version of that, wasn’t it? Root shut her eyes.

She put her arms out in front of her to catch the blow and she landed with a crunch, pain instantly shooting up through her hand and lighting everything on fire. Dazed, Root rolled over and looked up at the flights of stairs that she had vaulted over and she started laughing. She tried to get up, faltered and then stood. There was certainly something broken in her hand. The pain radiated from the tips of her fingers to her shoulder as she walked to the hospital. But there was a grin on her face. She got to the counter and made sure to ask about Dr. Shaw. The buzzing in her ear from the Machine was so easy to ignore when Root saw the angry figure of Sameen walk towards her. Ignoring the fact that she was here as a patient, Shaw pulled her angrily into the examination room. “That’s broken,” she spat out as she looked over Root’s hand. “Are you stupid or something? Incredibly accident prone?” 

Root just shrugged. “I’m just happy to see you again.” The look of surprise she got in response only widened her smile. But it was only there for a second before Sameen left to get someone with plaster. Root leaned against the cool wall and look upwards in happiness. The turmoil that she had felt was instantly silenced in a few moments with Sameen. Perhaps, if this woman cared about others, perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Shaw came back with the orthopedist. Root was bandaged and fixed up in no time and the pain, though still there, was contained. She barely paid attention as Shaw gave her instructions. Once she finished, Shaw glared at her. 

”You ran away after I gave you treatment last time. At least I can give you instructions this time.”

”Sorry, Sameen, my job requires that I don’t take anytime off.” 

Shaw rolled her eyes. “What is that job then?” Root tapped her mouth with the index finger not trapped in plaster. “What’s your name?” Shaw asked, trying a different angle. She had been curious about the runaway woman. 

”You can call me Root. Thanks for helping doc.” With that, Root turned and started walking out. 

Sameen followed. “You have to come back for me to open that, ok?” 

Root looked down and smirked. “You want to see me again?”

”Don’t be ridiculous, I want to make sure you don’t waste the care I’ve so graciously given to you.” 

With a laugh, Root nodded. They reached the patient waiting area and the pair paused. “Alright then. I’ll see you in a few weeks?”

”Exactly. And don’t get it wet.” 

Root just shook her head and leaned down to place a gentle kiss to Shaw’s cheek. “Thank you,” she intoned and then flew away, leaving a stunned Sameen behind her. 

The fourth time, she arrived to an actual appointment (made by the Machine) to see Dr. Shaw. Root sat in the room and grinned once Shaw finally arrived. “Hello!” 

”Are you always this perky?” Root laughed at the question and Shaw sat down. “Shut up. Have you been feeling any pain?” Root shook her head. “Good.” There was silence while Shaw wrote things down and then she looked back up and scooted closer to take a look at Root’s cast. “You’ll have to use a brace while you get used to having full movement back in your hand and wrist.” 

Root lowered her voice and leaned into the doctor. “I’m so glad to be getting that back. It’s been so hard with only one hand.” The statement was laced with innuendo and, to her credit, Sameen was barely affected. All it took was a single clearing of her throat and then she carried on with the business of cutting Root out of the cast. But Root had seen it. Whatever this was, Sameen felt it too. The rest of the interaction was common place, Shaw actually taking on the role of doctor and instructing Root. They parted ways with Root purposely not making a move. Before she left, Shaw had looked at her, as if she was going to ask something, but had frowned, walking away. Root was curious. That night, she celebrated having both of her hands back with a night of fantasies, most of which resolved around the gasping pants of a certain doctor. That sealed it. 

The fifth time, Root had gone for months without seeing Sameen again. But this time, with the knowledge that there was something, a small something, between them, she wasn’t hesitant. Dr. Sameen Shaw who cared even though everything else about her suggested that she shouldn’t had given Root something that she never thought she would get to experience again. This time, Root snuck in the hospital late and went to Shaw’s office. She paused in the doorway, admiring the dedication that Sameen showed even when doing paperwork. She was meticulous that was for sure. “Dr. Shaw?” she called. “I’m here for my check-up.”

Angrily, Sameen’s head lifted up and then she stood. “Root. How did you get in here? You know what, never mind. Don’t stand in the hallway, you might get thrown out.” Root followed the order and moved into the room. “And just shut the damn door.” Again she complied. 

”How have you been?” 

”Fine, no thanks to you.” Shaw stood and nearly charged at Root who took a step back with how violent the movement was. “There are no Root’s in any of the databases where I put patient information. How did you get an actual appointment without being in the system?” 

Root smiled. “I have friends.” 

Shaw scoffed. “Sure you do. Well what’s broken or injured this time? I don’t see any blood.”

”See, the thing that needs fixing?” Root said, reaching out to take Shaw’s hand. She moved slowly, not sure how Shaw would react. There was no resistance, only eyes furrowed in confusion. “It is a little bit different.” She took the hand and un-balled it, placing the palm just over her heart, pressing it gently. Her heart jumped at the touch, even though she had known it was coming. “Can you fix that?” she asked, her voice low.

Almost ridged, Shaw held her hand there and she looked up at Root. “I don’t do relationships.” 

”I wasn’t asking you to.” Those were the only words that Shaw needed and she pushed, forcing Root’s back to the door. She locked the door with her other hand and then placed it next to Root, boxing her in even further. 

”Good. I think I can fix this then.” She then leaned up to kiss Root. It was a fiery and angry kiss. A kiss that was filled with hunger and threatened to consume her. Root kissed back with equal passion. Perhaps it wasn’t about caring about humanity, it was about caring about a human. She would let this woman take whatever she wanted. Root knew that for certain and she closed her eyes, grinding her body to be closer to Shaw’s. This was how being caught felt, wasn’t it?

**Author's Note:**

> Finally getting back to writing!! Let me know what you guys want to see! I have more of my series and am planning more of the high school au. :D


End file.
